


All in good time

by Anna_Elephant



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:22:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23972959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anna_Elephant/pseuds/Anna_Elephant
Summary: "Scorpius groans.He hasn't even arrived at Hogwarts yet and has already managed to get into trouble with a Weasley. How is that even possible?"
Relationships: Scorpius Malfoy/Rose Weasley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	All in good time

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter canon by J. K. Rowling. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of JK Rowling. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. I do not profit from publishing this story. No copyright infringement is intended.

"What are you doing out here?"

Scorpius has been so deeply absorbed in his book that he hasn't even noticed someone coming up to him, let alone process the question. The voice has sounded slightly curious - firm, yet soft. It was a girl's voice.

He looks up from his copy of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ , through the glasses he needs in order to see anything that's further than three yards away, and finds himself staring into a pair of brown eyes and a pale face. Her skin is slightly sprinkled with freckles, her auburn curls are tied up in a high ponytail.

Scorpius internally groans.

He hasn't even arrived at Hogwarts yet and has already managed to get into trouble with a Weasley. How is that even possible?

"Excuse me?"

"What are you doing out here?"

Scorpius squirms slightly. He has tried - and failed - to find an empty compartment on the _Hogwarts Express_ , and has built up neither the nerve nor the courage to ask other Hogwarts students if he can sit with them. His backpack is full of sweets and chocolates his mother has given him, _because they always help you make friends_ , as she has put it. Unfortunately, she hasn't taught him to get over his horribly vivid fear of rejection yet. He is a Malfoy after all, and he knows about his family's reputation - which is why he has decided to sit on his rather huge suitcase. Outside, in the corridor.

But there is no chance in hell he can possibly admit _this_ , is there?

"I'm reading."

She's cutting her eyes at him, as if to tell him not to mess with her. "I can see that. I'm wondering why you're doing it outside, all by yourself."

Scorpius' mind is coming up with a sarcastic, witty response to throw back at her, but he decides that this is neither the right time, nor the right place to be cocky. He takes a deep breath, before he answers.

"All of the compartments I've passed are full. Also, I think Pollux got fed up with being dragged around in his cage," he said, pointing at his Indian eagle owl. "I wanted to leave him in peace."

The red-headed girl in front him raises an eyebrow. Scorpius finds her a little bit intimidating, to be honest.

"Why don't you come and sit with us, then?"

"What?"

"I said: why don't you come and sit with us, then?" she says, slower and louder than before. She clearly thinks he's a bit weird.

"I heard you. But, - but why? Why would you want _me_ to sit with you?" He does not make an effort to hide is astonishment.

She shrugs. "Because your suitcase seems extremely uncomfortable – no offense - and we have an almost empty compartment to ourselves. There's no need for you to sit outside here all by yourself. Unless that's what you want, of course," she argues.

When Scorpius doesn't answer, she continues, "Plus, there's this new kid that we've just met, and he and my cousin won't stop talking about video games, which I know absolutely nothing about – it's already driving me nuts. I'll take all the emotional and mental support I can get." She's about to turn around and head off. "So, are you coming or not?" she says.

Scorpius does not have the faintest idea what video games are – and he's not sure he really cares. But he does notice that there is something about this whole situation that makes him a little less anxious, a little more relaxed. Somehow, without even realizing what he is doing, Scorpius stands up slowly and gathers his things.

"Brilliant. I'm Rose, by the way."

"Scorpius."

"I know," she simply states and takes his owl cage, before walking off towards her compartment. All Scorpius can do is follow her, gaping at her back and her ponytail, which is swinging from side to side as she walks. What has gotten Rose Weasley, the daughter of famous war heroes, to walk up and _talk_ to him, let alone invite him to her compartment, is completely beyond him.

"I've found company. He's going to keep me sane during your constant chatter," she says after pushing the door to their compartment open. Rose enters, takes a seat and grabs the book lying beside her. Scorpius stands awkwardly in the doorframe and looks at two boys his own age, who are staring right back at him.

"Hi!" one of them bursts out. He has dark-brown, curly hair, and brown skin. "I'm Timothy Baker. I'm from Hastings. Who are you?"

"I'm Scorpius… Scorpius Malfoy."

"Awesome!"

Scorpius keeps gaping at him. He honestly can't tell if this is a joke or not.

He looks at Rose, but the explanation for Timothy's ingenuousness comes from the boy sitting next to her.

"Muggleborn," Albus says. _Ah…_ This explains the blissful ignorance and Rose's comment from earlier. "I'm Al - Albus Potter." Scorpius nods in response – he wouldn't have needed the introduction, though. He has recognized him in an instance. Any wizard or witch would have. He is the spitting image of his famous father, and Scorpius has seen enough chocolate frog cards to know what Harry Potter looks like.

"It's… nice to meet you," Scorpius mutters shyly, while he puts his suitcase in the overhead locker. He then sits down facing Rose and hands Pollux a small treat through the cage.

"Al and Rose have just told me about the Hogwarts Houses and the Sorting. Do you know where you are going?"

Scorpius turns towards Timothy. "Erm… It's... probably going to be Slytherin. My whole family was there."

"You don't inherit your house," Rose simply stated, without looking up from her book.

"I know, but… chances are very high that I end up there."

"Dad just told me that the _Sorting Hat_ let's you pick sometimes," Al quietly chimes in.

"It does?" Rose asks in surprise. Her cousin nods.

It's Timothy's turn to babble away again. "Oh, that would be so cool! I could pick Slytherin as well – it would be great to be with someone I already know."

Before Scorpius can stop himself, he says, "It's highly unlikely that you'd end up in Slytherin." Rose's eyes dart up instantly, slightly glaring at him, before she exchanges a look with Albus. Scorpius will find out later that they do that non-verbal thing quite a lot.

At that moment, Scorpius feels his pale cheeks heating up. How has he already messed this up? He starts stammering. "I'm… I'm not saying that he shouldn't be Slytherin, it's just - statistically speaking - very unlikely for a Muggleborn to become Slytherin. In the last 70 years, there has been a total amount of 15 Muggleborn students in Slytherin – that's roughly 2.2 students per decade."

All three of them are staring at him. It's incredibly awkward. Scorpius just wishes that he wouldn't have said anything at all.

Rose is the first to speak again. "How did you know that?"

"Well, I… I've read it in _Hogwarts: A History_ ".

She keeps silent after that and goes straight back to her book, but Albus starts grinning.

"I think you've just outsmarted Rose. That's never happened before."

"I'm not so sure that's a good thing," is the only thing that Scorpius can retaliate. In a desperate attempt to change the subject, he remembers his backpack, which he promptly lifts off the floor. "I've brought tons of sweets. Does anyone want anything?"

"Oh, yes, please!" Timothy gets all excited, and Al looks very happy as well.

"Rose?" Scorpius asks meekly, while he hands out chocolate frogs. She merely peeks over her book.

For whatever reason, he is afraid that she's mad at him – but after a few seconds, she says, "My mum… she doesn't like it when I eat too many sweets."

"But Auntie Hermione is not here, is she?" Albus argues cheekily, while he shoves two chocolate frogs at once into his mouth. He then turns towards Timothy, who's extremely freaked out by the moving frogs, and says, "Don't worry, they're not real."

"He's right about that," Scorpius says as he offers her one as well. When she takes it, he beams at her.

"Thanks," she says and grins back at him.

"Hey, Al – the guy on this card looks exactly like you!"

"Oh, you think?" Al asks innocently.

The rest of their journey passes in a blur. They spend most of their time laughing and talking – only Rose buries herself in her book after some time. Scorpius, on the other hand, decides that _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ can wait, for a little while at least. He's insanely happy that he has found someone to spend the train ride with, especially after his rocky start.

Timothy keeps gasping and being entertaining the whole time – he shamelessly stares at the Hogwarts' groundkeeper Hagrid, when they arrive in Hogsmeade, and almost falls out of the boat and into the lake during their journey onward. Scorpius finds him utterly hilarious – he's like an overly excited puppy. Maybe offering him outrageously sugary treats has not been the smartest idea. But Scorpius senses that Timothy's excessive talking has probably a lot to do with the fact, that he's just as incredibly nervous as he is. He deals with it differently though – Scorpius usually gets all witty and cocky. Today apart, since Rose Weasley's slightly bossy behavior has thrown him completely off track – which might have been her way to distract herself from her own nervousness as well.

When Neville Longbottom calls out the name _Baker Timothy_ in the Great Hall, in order for him to come forward to be sorted, he skips over excitedly.

It only takes about a minute until the Sorting Hat announces _"SLYTHERIN"._

When the Slytherin table starts cheering, Timothy beams. He waves at Scorpius and Albus, who are standing right at the front of the group of first-years, and walks over to the Slytherin table.

"This is… incredible," Scorpius gasps. Rose, who is standing right behind them, leans forward to talk to Albus. "Slytherin doesn't seem to be such a scary place anymore, does it?" she whispers.

"No, it most certainly does not," Al mumbles and glances at Scorpius, who keeps staring at the Sorting Hat, slightly blushing.

When it's his turn, he hears a few curious whispers on his way towards the stool. He walks over towards the chair, shakily takes a seat and waits for the hat to send him to Slytherin.

But the Sorting Hat takes its time.

_Oh, a Malfoy. Haven't had one in a while. Interesting, very interesting._

There's a long pause after that, and Scorpius starts feeling a little anxious. What's taking so long? Each and every family member was sorted into Slytherin.

_You don't inherit your house, Scorpius Malfoy._

Scorpius freezes. He hasn't expected that to happen.

_I see a deep desire in you to prove yourself. You show ambition. But I also see a thirst for knowledge - very sharp mind, creative as well. You would find many like-minded people in Ravenclaw._

His heart is beating furiously. He has finally found people, who could be referred to as _friends_ (using the term loosely), and one of them has just been sorted into Slytherin. He does not know one soul in Ravenclaw. He hasn't even considered that there could be any chance for him to end up _anywhere else_ until this point. Would people even accept him? He thinks about his parents – and wants nothing but to make them proud. But above all, he is determined to show that there is more to him than his family's name and their history - that someone like him can be respectable, honorable, and striving for greatness.

_I see. I think you will do just as fine in "SLYTHERIN"._

Scorpius walks over towards the cheering Slytherin table, where he is greeted enthusiastically by Timothy. He feels slightly unsettled, but also relieved. A female prefect pats his shoulder and welcomes him with a friendly smile.

That is nothing compared to the effect that Albus Potter's Sorting has. When the Sorting Hat shouts "SLYTHERIN", the Great Hall turns dead-silent for a moment, before the Slytherin table breaks into the loudest cheer Scorpius has ever heard. Al, who is looking a little shocked, but happy at the same time, beams as he sits down right next to him. Timothy –being overly-excited - jumps up and down in his seat. The prefect from earlier looks as if she's about to cry with joy and keeps stammering, "We've got Potter! I can't believe it!"

"Oy, Al!" a stunningly beautiful girl with strawberry blonde hair from the Gryffindor table next to them shouts over, "I was counting on you – you were supposed to be my next chaser!" Her tone is much friendlier than the statement suggests, though. She winks at Albus and shakes her head in amazement.

The boy next to him, who also looks suspiciously like a Potter, gapes at them. "I told you, you might be in Slytherin. Man, Quidditch matches are going to be brutal!" he says, looking all shocked and amused at the same time.

"Sorry 'bout that." Albus smirks and turns to Scorpius. "Guess I'll have to make the Slytherin Quidditch team. What do you think?"

And after hours of anxiety, Scorpius unwinds - because for the first time since receiving his letter from Hogwarts, he has a feeling that he will do just fine here, albeit his complex history.

The only time he feels a certain and strange kind of remorse is when the Sorting Hat sends Rose Weasley off to Ravenclaw.

He makes a mental note to himself to thank her for inviting him over in the first place. After all, it's due to her that he has already made friends before classes have even started.

His eyes meet hers, when she waves at Al from the other side of the Great Hall. She looks slightly disappointed, but smiles at him anyway.

And even if she sits at a different table right now - something tells him that he will have to put with her fierce determination and her unapologetic confidence for many years to come.

And he's looking forward to it.

"All in good time", he thinks to himself.

_All in good time._

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Criticism & feedback is highly appreciated. AE.


End file.
